Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Forced federal spending cuts have had a `` devastating impact '' on judicial operations nationwide , prompting a request to Congress for emergency funds to keep operations going at minimal levels , court officials say .

The effects of the so-called budget sequester that took effect in March has been particularly hard on the judicial branch .

The impact includes delays of civil and bankruptcy cases ; furloughs of hundreds of court staff and federal public defenders . There have been reductions in court security as well as programs to monitor criminals on probation .

`` We look to Congress to recognize the uncontrollable nature of our workload and provide the resources needed to perform this essential work , '' Judge Julia Gibbons told a Senate Judiciary subcommittee on Tuesday .

`` If sufficient funding is not provided to the courts , we can not provide the people of the United States the type of justice system that has been a hallmark of our liberty throughout the nation 's history , '' Gibbons said .

The judiciary 's budget has been cut under sequester nationwide by nearly $ 350 million for the current fiscal year , which ends September 30 .

`` Emergency measures '' have been imposed by the Judiciary Conference , the federal court 's internal policy arm .

`` All aspects of court operations have been severely curtailed '' as a result said Gibbons , a federal appeals court judge in Memphis , who also heads the administrative conference 's Budget Committee .

The sequester has hit agencies throughout the government . But Congress has already granted some budget flexibility for homeland security , agriculture inspections , veterans services , and air traffic controllers .

Congress this week was asked to provide $ 73 million in supplemental emergency funding to keep federal courts running properly .

While courts have to deal with cuts , federal prosecutors do not at the moment .

Judicial officials have already begun implementing staggered cuts to such areas as staff salaries , court security and federal public defenders .

Court administrators have also warned civil jury trials may be stopped , if across-the-board funding cuts are not stopped .

One high-profile case delayed due to the cuts is the criminal prosecution of accused former al-Qaeda spokesman Suleiman Abu Ghaith .

He is a former son-in-law of Osama bin Laden and is among the most high-profile terror suspects to face justice on American soil .

His trial has been postponed until January 2014 after his court-appointed lawyers said budget cutbacks left their office-short staffed .

Separately , large numbers of court employees have been furloughed -- amounting to 8,600 court staff days and 12,500 public defender days . Nationwide the federal courts have been given individual discretion to implement furlough plans .

CNNMoney 's Jennifer Liberto contributed to this report .

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Forced federal budget cuts took effect in March

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Cuts impact most agencies , but some have budget flexibility

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Judge tells Senate that impact on judiciary has been sweeping

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Court officials seek help from lawmakers